Shifting Gears’ Riley Took A Major Step Forward With Andy, But I Feel This Relationship Is Doomed To Fail

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Be warned – this article contains spoilers for the Shifting Gears episode “Toys.” Watch the episode on Hulu if you don’t want to have it ruined!

The show Shifting Gears will return in 2026. Last season ended with a romantic connection between Matt and Eve, but this year, Riley is finding love. Andy, who has made a few appearances before, seems to be sticking around and is becoming serious with Riley.

Okay, so towards the end of the episode, Riley finally introduced Andy to her kids, Carter and Georgia. It was a pretty big deal, especially since the kids already knew about them – apparently they’d been watching the Ring camera footage and saw them kissing! It was a sweet moment, but honestly, I already have a feeling this relationship isn‘t going to last, and that kind of bummed me out.

Riley Thought Matt Was Trying To Sabotage Her Relationship With Andy

After Matt saw Riley and Andy kissing in the driveway, Andy brought him a BBQ dry rub as a peace offering. This led Matt to invite Andy over to watch the NFC Championship game, which is happening this weekend. (Perfect timing for the show, Shifting Gears!).

When Andy showed up, Riley started to feel like her dad was deliberately trying to come between her and Andy. Her father seemed overly interested in Andy, and quickly became closer to him than even Gabe and Stitch, who were also present. I was hoping Gabe would finally tell Riley how he feels, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll have to compete with Andy for very long.

I Think Riley Will Realize She’s Dating Someone Just Like Her Dad And End Things

Riley accused Matt of intentionally damaging her relationship, but he denied it. I side with Matt and suspect Riley will eventually realize her current boyfriend, Andy, isn’t what she needs. Andy and Riley’s father get along well due to shared interests, and it seems to me that Riley is now dating someone very similar to Matt.

More On Shifting Gears

I recently started watching ‘Shifting Gears,’ and I think the show really nailed one particular part of Tim Allen’s character.

Riley needed a more dependable partner than her ex, Jimmy, but I wonder if she’ll be happy discovering Andy shares many of the same traits as her father. She recently worked hard to gain independence by moving out of her dad’s house, feeling she needed to live life on her own terms.

It’s definitely not Andy’s fault, but that’s common when relationships end. Also, the show has invested so much in Riley and Gabe’s story that it seems unlikely they’ll break up, which probably means Jesse Williams won’t be leaving the show anytime soon.

You can watch Shifting Gears easily with a Hulu subscription. Both Hulu plans – with or without ads – unlock the platform’s full library, including popular originals like What We Do in the Shadows, Tell Me Lies, The Bear, and Only Murders In The Building. New and existing customers can try Hulu for free for 30 days, with plans starting at $9.99 per month. See the deal here.

You can watch new episodes of Shifting Gears on ABC every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. I’m really enjoying Season 2 so far, particularly the unexpected nods to The White Lotus and other well-known shows.

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2026-01-22 06:08